Burial or Cremation? Questions for NKY Families

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 04:14:04 GMT

When someone dies, or when you are thinking ahead, one of the first questions is whether to choose burial or cremation. There is no right answer for everyone. There is only the answer that fits your loved one, your family, and your beliefs.

This article offers a few questions to talk through together. You do not need to settle them all today.

Call 859-431-0072 if you would like to talk with someone. We are here 24 hours a day.

What did they want?

Some people tell their families exactly what they want. Others never say. Look for a prepaid funeral plan, a will, or a letter left with their papers. If your loved one planned ahead with a funeral home, that plan tells you what they chose.

If they never said, think about how they lived. Did they talk about being buried near their parents, or about a place they loved? Families often find the answer in those stories.

What does your faith ask?

Most Christian churches allow cremation, including the Catholic Church. The Church prefers that the body be present for the funeral Mass, with cremation afterward. It asks that cremated remains be buried, or placed in a mausoleum or a columbarium, a wall of small niches for urns. They should not be scattered, divided, or kept at home. Some faiths, including Orthodox Judaism, Islam, and the Eastern Orthodox Church, call for burial.

If you are not sure what your tradition asks, your pastor, priest, rabbi, or imam can tell you, and we can help you ask.

Would you like to see them one last time?

Choosing cremation doesn't mean giving up a visitation. With full service cremation, your loved one is laid out in a casket for the visitation and funeral, and the cremation follows. You can rent a casket for those services instead of buying one.

If your family would rather gather later, the cremation can come first. A memorial service can follow at the Bentley House, your church, or a place that mattered to them.

Where will they rest?

Burial gives your family a place to visit. Many families here choose Highland, St. Mary, or St. John cemeteries in Fort Mitchell, Mother of God in Fort Wright, Floral Hills in Taylor Mill, or Forest Lawn in Erlanger. If your family already owns a plot, find the deed or the cemetery's name, and we will take it from there.

Cremation doesn't rule out a grave. An urn can be buried, often in the same grave as a spouse, or placed in a columbarium. Some families keep the urn at home, or scatter the ashes in a place that mattered to them, with permission where it is required.

Did they serve in the military?

Eligible veterans can be buried at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery North in Williamstown, with no cemetery charge for the veteran. After cremation, the urn can go in a grave or in the columbarium. A spouse can share the veteran's grave for a fee the state sets. If you have the veteran's discharge papers (DD-214), bring them along.

What fits your budget?

It's fine to talk about cost. Direct cremation, with no service beforehand, is usually the simplest choice. A funeral with burial includes more services, plus a casket, the outer burial container most cemeteries require, and the cemetery's own charges.

Call us and we will go over prices by phone, or ask for our price list. We explain every charge before you decide.

Does everyone agree?

Talk it through as a family before you decide. In Kentucky, a cremation needs the coroner's approval and an authorization signed by the person with the legal right to decide, usually the closest next of kin. When everyone has had a say, the days ahead go more smoothly.

What to Do When Someone Dies at Home in Northern Kentucky

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

When someone dies at home, the first minutes can feel unreal. You may not know who to call, or whether to call anyone yet. Here is what to do, step by step. You don't have to figure it out alone.

Call 859-431-0072 any time, day or night, every day of the year.

If your loved one was under hospice care

Call the hospice nurse first, even in the middle of the night. A death under hospice care is expected, so families usually don't need to call 911, and the hospice team will tell you what to do.

Call us at 859-431-0072 once the nurse has confirmed the death.

If there was no hospice care, or the death was unexpected

Call 911. Tell the dispatcher what happened and follow their directions.

When there was no hospice care, police or the county coroner may come to the house. That is routine after an unexpected death at home. The coroner may need to finish their work before we can bring your loved one into our care. Once they say we can, call us.

Take the time you need

There is no need to rush. If you would like to sit with your loved one, say a prayer, or call family to come say goodbye, take that time. We come when you are ready, day or night.

When you call us

We will ask a few simple questions, including where your loved one is. Then we come and bring your loved one into our care with dignity.

We serve families across Northern Kentucky, from Ludlow and Covington to Fort Mitchell, Erlanger, Independence, and Florence. Most homes are within about 20 minutes of the Bentley House.

The next day or two

Usually within a day or two, we sit down with your family at the Bentley House in Ludlow. Together we plan the service, write the obituary, and go over your choices and prices. It helps to bring:

Your loved one's Social Security number
Their military discharge papers (DD-214), if they served
A prepaid funeral plan, life insurance policy, or cemetery deed, if they had one
Clothing and a few favorite photos

If you can't find everything, come anyway. We can fill in the rest later.

What we take care of

We file the death certificate, order certified copies for you, and report the death to Social Security. If your loved one was a veteran, we request the military honors and apply for the benefits they earned. We explain each step as we go, so you always know what comes next.

We're here

Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home has cared for Northern Kentucky families since 1935.

Call 859-431-0072 whenever you need us. Our common questions page answers more of what families ask.

Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home